Bolthole Index

Mobile County, Alabama

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Semmes, Alabama

Semmes, Alabama has its own zoning, and the City of Semmes issues building permits inside city limits12. A property owner can pull a residential permit by signing an owner-builder affidavit3. Septic permits come from the Mobile County Health Department, not the city45.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the City of Semmes inside city limits62
Zoning
Yes, Semmes has a zoning ordinance and map1
Septic
Local health department permit before installing or repairing a system4
Owner-builder
Allowed with a signed affidavit and a meeting with the Building Inspector3
Tiny homes
Must meet the 2018 International Residential Code or get Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission approval7
Mobile homes
Permitted in the RA and R4 districts8

Who to call

Building permits

City of Semmes Permitting & Inspections (Building Department)

Residential and commercial building permits, inspections, driveway applications and subcontractor paperwork inside Semmes city limits

(251) 649-5752

One Main Street, Semmes, Alabama 36575

Zoning

City of Semmes Planning

Zoning ordinance, zoning map, zoning verification, rezoning, variances and special exceptions inside Semmes

(251) 649-5752

Septic permits

Mobile County Health Department, Onsite Sewage Division

Septic (onsite sewage) permits and inspections for Mobile County, including addresses inside Semmes

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Semmes means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Semmes, Alabama have zoning?

Yes. The City of Semmes states that it has zoning and publishes a zoning ordinance and zoning map1. Zoning applies inside Semmes city limits, so check the district of any lot before you buy; the City Planner can issue a zoning verification9.

Mobile homes are permitted in the Residential Agricultural (RA) district and the Manufactured Home (R4) district, and a lot already used for a mobile home stays grandfathered as long as the home is not removed or destroyed8. Tiny homes must be built to the 2018 International Residential Code or have approval from the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission, and still need normal permits7.

We could not confirm numeric minimum lot sizes, setbacks, minimum dwelling size or height limits, or any rule on living in an RV, from the pages we read. Ask the City Planner at9, and read the zoning ordinance for your district.

Do you need a building permit in Semmes, and who issues it?

Yes. The City of Semmes issues building permits for construction inside city limits and has adopted the 2018 International Building and Residential Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code6. The City's Permitting & Inspections office at City Hall handles applications and inspections2.

A new residential application requires a completed application, two sets of architect- or engineer-stamped plans that meet the 2018 codes and 160 mph wind speed, Board of Health septic documentation and completed subcontractor forms10. A certificate of occupancy or completion is required, and failing to get one costs twice the permit fee and blocks further permits and inspections11.

Driveway work also needs the City's driveway application and approval before work starts12.

Can you build your own house in Semmes as an owner-builder?

Yes, with conditions. A property owner may apply for a residential building permit in Semmes if certain requirements are met, and must sign an affidavit for an exemption from licensing requirements3. The owner must also meet with the Building Inspector before the permit is issued, and must make sure subcontractors hold City business licenses before final inspection3.

Alabama law offers the same exemption for owners who act as their own contractor on a one- or two-family home for their own occupancy and not for sale13.

How do septic permits work inside Semmes?

Septic permits for addresses inside Semmes come from the Mobile County Health Department, not the city. Alabama law requires homeowners not connected to a public sanitary sewer to get a permit from the local health department before installing or repairing an onsite system4. The Health Department's Onsite Sewage Division handles permitting, installation and inspection5.

The process includes a site evaluation, soil test results, a plot plan, an application and a fee4. Call the health department before installation to schedule an inspection; it issues an Approval for Use before the building can be occupied14. The City also asks for Board of Health septic documentation with new residential applications and mobile-home permits15.

Mobile County soils matter here: about 26% of soils are rated not limited for a conventional drain field, so many lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system16.

Building a home in Semmes: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district with the City Planner, and ask for a zoning verification9.
  2. Contact the Mobile County Health Department's Onsite Sewage Division for a site evaluation and septic permit if no public sewer serves the lot4.
  3. Prepare stamped plans to the 2018 codes and 160 mph wind speed, and gather the subcontractor forms10.
  4. If you are the owner-builder, meet the Building Inspector and sign the licensing-exemption affidavit3.
  5. Apply for the building permit at City Hall, plus a driveway application if needed12.
  6. Schedule inspections, including the septic inspection, and obtain the certificate of occupancy11.

What stays with Mobile County, and what to check before you buy near Semmes

The county's rules differ from the city's. Unincorporated Mobile County has no zoning, so land outside Semmes is handled by Mobile County instead of the City17. Septic, wells and flood questions are not decided by the city's zoning office.

Mobile County's effective property tax rate is about 0.5%, with a median bill of $849 a year1819. Typical farmland runs about $4,768 an acre in the county20.

We could not confirm whether a new home inside Semmes must connect to public water or sewer when available, whether private wells need a permit, or how flood zones are handled inside the city. Ask the City of Semmes Building Department before you commit2.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm numeric lot-size, setback, dwelling-size or RV rules for Semmes zoning districts, so ask the City Planner before buying9.
  • Septic approval is separate from the city permit: the Mobile County Health Department must approve the system before the building can be occupied14.
  • Commercial building permits in Semmes go only to a state-licensed general contractor with a City of Semmes business license; the owner-builder route covers residential work3.

Sources

  1. Planning - City of Semmes (Semmes), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Semmes Permitting & Inspections (Building Department) (cityofsemmesal.gov)
  3. Permitting & Inspections - City of Semmes (Semmes), quoted and re-checked
  4. Onsite Sewage Disposal (Semmes), quoted and re-checked
  5. Mobile County Health Department, Onsite Sewage Division (mchd.org)
  6. Permitting & Inspections - City of Semmes (Semmes), quoted and re-checked
  7. Permitting & Inspections - City of Semmes (Semmes), quoted and re-checked
  8. Planning - City of Semmes (Semmes), quoted and re-checked
  9. City of Semmes Planning (cityofsemmesal.gov)
  10. Permitting & Inspections - City of Semmes (Semmes), quoted and re-checked
  11. City of Semmes Inspection Services Fee Schedule (Semmes), quoted and re-checked
  12. Permitting & Inspections - City of Semmes (Semmes), quoted and re-checked
  13. Exemptions (Alabama statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Onsite Sewage Disposal (Semmes), quoted and re-checked
  15. Onsite Sewage Disposal (Semmes), quoted and re-checked
  16. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  17. Development and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Semmes

Semmes’s own rules

  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Property owners applying for residential building permits inside Semmes city limits.

    • The owner may apply only if certain requirements are met.
    • The owner must sign an affidavit for an exemption from licensing requirements.
    • The owner must meet with the Building Inspector to review the process and expectations.
    • Subcontractors must obtain their City business licenses before final inspection.
    “A Property Owner may apply for a residential building permit if certain requirements are met but must sign an affidavit for an exemption of licensing requirements.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Semmes city limits.

    • The City page lists multiple adopted codes, including the 2018 International Building and Residential Codes and 2020 National Electrical Code.
    “City of Semmes adopted building codes: 2018 International Building Code 2018 International Residential Code 2018 International Mechanical Code 2020 National Electrical Code 2018 International Energy Conservation Code 2018 International Plumbing Code 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code 2018 International Existing Building Code 2018 Wood Frame Construction Manual”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Construction projects inside Semmes city limits subject to a certificate of occupancy or completion.

    • Failure to obtain the certificate results in a fee equal to twice the permit fee.
    • No further permits or inspections are allowed until the certificate is obtained.

    failure-to-obtain fee: 2 times permit fee

    “Failure to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy and/or Certificate of Completion a. 2 times the permit fee. Note: No further permits or inspections will be allowed on said property until the Certificate of Occupancy and/or Certificate of Completion has been obtained.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Semmes city limits; the City's planning page states that Semmes has zoning and publishes a zoning ordinance and zoning map.

    “Does the City of Semmes have Zoning? Yes.”
  • Tiny homesLimited

    Tiny homes or houses inside Semmes city limits.

    • The structure must comply with the 2018 International Residential Code or meet the requirements of and receive approval from the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission.
    • Normal permitting and inspection requirements also apply.
    “All “Tiny Homes/Houses” must be constructed to meet the provisions of the 2018 International Residential Code or must meet the requirements of and have approval from the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured or mobile homes inside Semmes city limits.

    • The City's planning FAQ states mobile homes are permitted in a Residential Agricultural (RA) district and a Manufactured Home (R4) district.
    • Existing mobile-home use is grandfathered if the home is not removed or destroyed.
    “Mobile Homes are permitted in a Residential Agricultural (RA) district and a Manufactured Home (R4) district. Any property currently being used for a mobile home is considered “grandfathered”. This means the property may continue to be used for a mobile home if the mobile home is not removed or destroyed.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveway work inside Semmes city limits requiring the City's driveway application or approval.

    • The City provides a driveway application and instructs applicants not to commence work without prior approval.
    “DRIVEWAY APPLICATION [...] Please do not commence work without prior approval.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Permit applications inside Semmes city limits.

    • New residential applications require a completed application, two sets of architect- or engineer-stamped plans meeting the 2018 codes and 160 mph wind speed, Board of Health septic documentation, and completed subcontractor forms.
    • Commercial site plans must be completed before permit application.
    • Approved plans and the permit must remain on site for inspection.
    “New Residential [...] Application filled out completely and correctly [...] 2 sets of Architect or Engineered stamped plans or drawings that follow the 2018 Building Codes and meet the 160 mph wind speed. ONE HARD COPY AND ONE ELECTRONIC PDF FILE [...] Board of Health septic tank documentation [...] Completed Subcontractor Forms”

Rules another office applies inside Semmes

Semmes does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    Onsite sewage systems serving property inside Semmes city limits; Alabama law supplies the permit requirement and the local health department administers the permit and inspection process.

    • The City requires Board of Health septic documentation with new residential applications and mobile-home permits.
    • Mobile County Health Department approval is required for qualifying building-permit submissions.
    “Alabama State Law requires homeowners and businesses not connected to a public sanitary sewer to obtain a permit from the local health department prior to installing a new system or making repairs to an existing onsite system.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Homes and businesses inside Semmes city limits that are not connected to a public sanitary sewer.

    • The permit is obtained from the local health department before installing a new onsite system or repairing an existing onsite system.
    • A site evaluation, soil test results, plot plan, application, and fee are part of the process.
    “Alabama State Law requires homeowners and businesses not connected to a public sanitary sewer to obtain a permit from the local health department prior to installing a new system or making repairs to an existing onsite system.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Onsite sewage systems inside Semmes city limits subject to Alabama onsite-sewage requirements.

    • The health department must be contacted before installation to schedule an inspection.
    • The health department issues an Approval for Use before the building may be occupied.
    “Call the health department prior to beginning the installation to schedule an inspection. The health department will issue an "Approval for Use" before the building can be occupied.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Sanitation for property inside Semmes city limits that is not connected to public sanitary sewer.

    • An onsite system requires a local-health-department permit before installation or repair.
    • Inspection and Approval for Use are required before occupancy.
    “Alabama State Law requires homeowners and businesses not connected to a public sanitary sewer to obtain a permit from the local health department prior to installing a new system or making repairs to an existing onsite system.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Semmes or Mobile County directly.

  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Semmes city limits, including residential and residential-agricultural districts.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside Semmes city limits.
  • Setbacks — Building setbacks inside Semmes city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Semmes city limits.
  • Building height — Building height inside Semmes city limits.
7 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Semmes publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Mobile County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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